For fabrication of semiconductor devices, substrates such as thin slices or wafers of semiconductor material require polishing by a process that applies an abrasive slurry to a substrate's surfaces. After polishing, slurry residue is generally cleaned or scrubbed from substrate surfaces via mechanical scrubbing devices, such as polyvinyl acetate (PVA) brushes, brushes made from other porous or sponge-like material, or brushes made with nylon bristles.
Using conventional scrubbing techniques, an undesirable number of particles may remain on scrubbed substrate surfaces. Accordingly, a need exists for improved methods and apparatus for scrubbing substrates.